The Gasman Superlife

Already on his ninth album, by rights The Gasman should be well and truly running out of ideas by now, but Chris Reeves (for that is his real name) shows no signs of taking it easy. 'Ruter' instantly situates you in that familiar Planet Mu mindset, scambling erratic beats with lightly detuned, Aphex-influenced synths. Once that's despatched it's onto 'Helpline' a frosty configuration of discordant choral-sounding synth pads, acidic basslines and shattered drum sequences buried relatively deeply in the mix. Perhaps one of the most successful aspects of this particular long-player is its deployment of more experimentally leaning instrumental passages, like the eerie sci-fi scapes on 'RXg3', 'Non' and 'Equine'. There's still plenty of break-fuelled urgency scattered across the album, but the contrasting textures of these eleven tracks make Superlife an all the more rewarding listen.